Quick-break switch



June 7, 1927. 1,631,503

J. H. PENGILLY v QUICK BRgAK SWITCH Filed June 29. 1925 2 sheets-snee*u1 ,5/ www /YrrOf/VA-I.

Patented June 7, V1927.

, i UNITED SIMS? .IOSEPHTE PENeItLxor Los AnGELnscALIFoaNIa Assrenonmoenowjn & ren-f GILLY, INc.`, or 'LosANGELEs CALIFORNIA, A conroaa'rronor CALIFORNIA;

QUICK-BR'neri'll swITcII. 1

` v.iplplieatioa filed June 29, 192.5.'sena1 No. 40,230. j 1

`My invention relatesto an improved-forni of* electrical' knifel switch.When engagement is-broken between the blades and break v'jaws ofenordinary knife switch,v .arcs are formed therebetween'justasseparation-takes place." These arcs burn away the contacts.V

It is highly desirable to rhave a quick breaking of the ybladesandrbreak jaws so that there will be'bnt a minimumof arcing and a minimumof burning of the contacts'.

It is an vobject ofmy inventionV to provide y a switch in whichengagementbetween the tion. u I

blades and break jaws will be quickly broken regardless of the rapidity.with vwhich the" operating lever is moved. Itis sometimes desirable tovset a switch partlyv in thewallso that only the front part ofthe boxextends therefrom. Switches intended; for such setting are known assemi-flush' switches.

It is a further object lofmy invention to provide a semi-flush switchhaving a rnovel.

quick break above.

Other objects and advantages of my inarrangement as mentioned ventionwill be made evident hereinafter.

features: of my invention, the cover being brokenV away to show theinternal construc-` H:Fig.i2 is a cross section taken on :the line i areof Fig. 1.

Fig. .3 is an enlarged fragmentary vien` showing in detail the quickbreakconstrnctionfof my invention; The parts 1n this view areiI-the'positions they occupy imiil) mediately previous to separation ofthe contacts.'v i

.'Fgig. 4 is ajsectiontaken on' thelline f of Fig. 3.'

Fig. 5 is a view'similar to Fig. 3, this view showing the contactsseparated.

. With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 a preferred embodiment 0f my inventioncomprises a box 11 having an interior 12 and a cover 13 for coveringthefront thereof, this cover being swingable so that vaccess to ftheinterior ofthe box may be had. An insulationbase-board 15 is secured toa bottom 16 of the box 11 by bolts 17 which extend through the board 15and through inwardly pressed portions 18 of the bottom 16. vBreak jaws20 are secured near the upper end of the board 15 by bolts 21 whichextend fromi'the-board 15 through i .break jaws 20. Current kcarrying-wires124 are connected tothe break jaws 2O by means` fof connectors25.` The wires 24 areconnected to the connectors 25 vandthe connectors25. are secured to the flanges 23by'thebolts 21,'

this beingvr best shown inFigs. 1 and 2.

Hinge jaws -27 aie secured to the board 15V and blades l2.8 are pivotedto thehinge jaws A 27 by pivotV bolts .29.y 'The hinge jaws 27 areconnected lto the up'perfuse retainers 31 which carryv upperends offuses-'32. ,The i Y tainers 34.by bolts 36.

tothe connectors 35.

lower; endsiof the 'fuses 32 are carriedvk in lowerfuserretainers 34.Connectors 35 are4 Vsecured in contact with they lower lfuse lre-y Wires37 are joined r A cross'bar 39 is connected-to the blades 28 by langlesplates 41.

*l Extending for.- vwardly Vfrom the cross bar 39 are-plungers 43 whichare secured thereto by nuts44 andY v45-whichare threadably lsecured onithe plungers 43 at each-side of thecrossl bari 39.

Plunger portionsl 47 of the plungers 43 are 'bent downwardly aslight'distancev and tendfthrough .openings 48 formed, in crossv-.opening lever 60.A The crank is eccentric of bearing portions' 6 1v ofthe Voperating- 1nember-56, which bearing portions extend throughopenings l6.2 1n the sidewalls 58 and vtherefore the crank portion A 55dis swung through an arcl whenthe vvlever 60, ismanipu, lated. j Headsv64are formed on the ends ofk the plungers .43 which'extendgthrough the :i:

openings 4 8y of the stirrupsl. VCoilsprings 65 are placed betweenwashers 66 and 67 be tween the heads 64 land the cross bars 49 of l the'stirrups 511. As clearly showin in Fig. 4, engagement lugs arebentinwardly from the legs 53of the stirrups51'and are adapted to beengaged by the washers 67.`v

When the switch is closed, the blades128 are situated between the lips72 of the break jaws 20. When the circuit which this switch controls isto be broken, the operating lever 6() is swungV ina manner tomove thelblades 28 from the positions shown in Fig.2 linto thepositions shown inFig. 5. When the f operating lever 60 is swung, the operating pluiigers43.1 This engagement gives posi-V moves the blades 28 :forwardlytherewith. e As tlieblades move forwardly, less area is member 56 pivotsin Vthe opening 62 on the bearing 6l and the. crank 55 swings forward-`ly. A rela-tive movement between the stirrups 5l and the plungers 43occurs at this time,

' compressing-the l springs 65. K Frictional engagement between thebreak jaws 2O and the blades 281s sufficient to Vrestrain the blades'against movement at this time. When the 'operating member 56 has beenmoved ,-to the extent shown inY F ig. 3, the engagement lugs dengage thewashers 675 placed on the tive contact` between tliejoperatin'g member56 and the blades .28'. As the operating member 56 is swung farther,positive iengagement lsupplied by the contact between the engagement lug70 and the washers 67 in'engagement'with the bieakjaws 2O and thefrictional VContact is therefore reduced.

vWhen the force of the frictional-contaet between the break jaws and theblades becomes less thanA the Vforce of compression lof the springs 65,the springs V65 will expand andv lvery quickly remove the blades 28fromtlie position shown in Fig. B into the position shown in Fig. 5.Vhen the switch is to be closed, the lever 60 is swung backwardly.Thecross'bars 49'of the stirrups 5l engage the nuts 45 and give positiveengagement be` v tween the, operating member 56 and the 'blades 28.

Vthe box to be set in a wall 8O a considerable distance withoutinterference to the opera tion of the lever.

From the foregoing description it is ob vious that the break jaws andthe blades will be separated very rapidly no matter how slow theoperating member 56 is swung.

i. There is no movement of the blades 28 until Vthe engagement lugs 70engage the washers 67. At this time there is a compression of thesprings 65 and there isa resilient compressive force pulling forwardlyon the plungers 4:3, this force Vhowever not being suliicient to'overcome the frictional engageengagement with the break jaws 20, as

shown in Fig, into'non-engaging position as shown VinV F ig. 5. Such an'arrangement as this absolutely preventsa slow separating of the breakjaws and blades: and'thusreduces arcing therebetween to a` minimum. Vithsuchy an arrangement as shown in the drawings, the life of the switch isgreatly prolonged. Y, y

T claim as my invention: l

jaws secured tosaid base; pivoted blades so placed as to close;tliecircuits betweenl said jaws; a cross bar secured to vsaid blades; anoperating member; a plunger rigidly secured to said cross bar and.projecting outwardly therefrom; astirrup hinged upon said operatingmeansl and having an opening throughwliicli said plunger projects;'acompression coil spring surrounding said plunger and bearing at one endon ysaid stirrup and at the other end on the outer end of said plunger;and means formed on -said stirrup for limiting the compression of saidspring.

2. Tn a switch, the combination of: a base; jaws secured `to said base;pivoted blades so placed as to rclose the circuits' between said jaws;va cross bar secured to said blades; an operating .member; a plunger`rigidly secured to said cross bar and project ing outwardly therefrom;va stirrup hinged upon said operating means and having an openingthrough which said plunger projects; a compression coil springsurrounding said plunger and bearing at one end on said stirrup and atthe other end on the outer end of said plunger; and lugs formed on saidstirrup and projecting into the path of a head formed on said plungerfor limiting the compression of saidl spring.

In testimony whereof, Iliave hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 24th day of June, 1925.

`Josnrii i-i. r-nNGi-LLY.

. y 7o l. In a-switch. the combination of: a base

